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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26334247">The Earth Kingdom Really is a Bitch Sometimes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/multi19fandom18trash/pseuds/multi19fandom18trash'>multi19fandom18trash</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: Legend of Korra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 02:35:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,492</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26334247</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/multi19fandom18trash/pseuds/multi19fandom18trash</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Wu is the very heavily closeted gay prince of the Earth Kingdom. When he flees Ba Sing Se until he can safely stake his claim to the throne, he's given Mako as a bodyguard for 24/7 protection. The only problem is Wu has an enormous crush on Mako, and no one can ever find out. Being outed would ruin any chance he had at assuming his role as King and saving his kingdom from impending ruin.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mako/Prince Wu (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>114</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Wu Thinks He Ought to Buy Mako a Pair of Tweezers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>nickelodeon robbed us when they decided not to make Wuko canon. this was written by the gays, for the gays, in an attempt to succeed where nick failed.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>For the first part of the story, I'm going to be loosely following canon. There are some things I've chosen to omit, others that I've rearranged timeline-wise, and plenty of others that I inserted from my own personal head-canon.</p><p>The first three chapters happen somewhere between the end of season 3 and the beginning of season 4. It might not make total sense in terms of the canon timeline, but I think suspension of disbelief is healthy to a certain degree. We catch up with canon in Chapter 4, around S4E3.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Earth Queen had been killed nearly three weeks ago now. Within minutes of her death, Prince Wu’s kingdom had erupted into chaos. Within the hour, Wu had been torn from his cushy, luxurious rooms at the palace and rushed to a safehouse in the Lower Ring where he waited until safe transport to the United Republic could be arranged.</p><p>Now, Wu was stuck in a poorly ventilated third class carriage of a <em> public </em>train, wearing ratty clothes and a hood to conceal his face. On either of his sides sat two Dai Li agents, except you would never know they were highly trained guards of the Royal Earth family, because one was disguised as a lowly cabbage merchant, and the other a drunk. </p><p>Wu had never felt so unclean and out of place in his life. He was a prince, the future king. Future kings don’t wear hand me down burlap sacks, and they most certainly don’t travel in third class carriages squished up next to a drunk and a cabbage seller on a tiny bench. Wu knew that if <em> anyone </em>from the Upper Ring ever found out about this, he’d never hear the end of it. </p><p>Thankfully for Wu, the train had just pulled into Central City Station. He and the Dai Li agents got off the train and entered Republic City, and even Wu, forever the champion of Ba Sing Se, had to admit that it was the most amazing city he had ever seen. </p><p>The streets were lined with multi-story buildings and teemed with satomobiles as far as the eye could see. The shop windows glistened with expensive jewelry and were filled to the brim with elaborately decorated clothes. Every corner had a stand selling some eccentric cuisine, the most disgusting of which, Wu decided, would likely be seal-blubber jerky. </p><p>Wu turned to the agent at his right, the one dressed as a cabbage merchant.</p><p>“Can we please go shopping? I need to get out of these horrid clothes…” He grabbed the agent by his lapels, eyes wide. “Right. Now.” </p><p>“No. First, you must meet with President Raiko.” They had just reached a particularly ornate building when the two Dai Li agents stopped suddenly and turned. </p><p>“In here.” Wu looked up at the building and read the sign: Four Elements Hotel. <em> Finally, </em> he thought, looking up at the grand hotel, <em> someplace with class. </em></p><p>As he swaggered through the rotating door, Wu could see that the interior of the hotel was even more ridiculously over decorated than its exterior. Every single column had intricate carvings and nearly every furnishing was inlaid with gold.</p><p>Wu nearly swooned. “Oh this is soooo much better than the safe house.” </p><p>The Dai Li agents silently led an awestruck-Wu up the elevator and to the presidential suite. Wu waited for several moments in front of the door for someone to open it for him. When it became clear that the Dai Li had no intention of doing so, he scoffed and opened it himself. </p><p>“The disrespect…” he muttered, “I am their future King!”</p><p>When he entered, three stoic figures were seated around the living room. Wu instantly recognized President Raiko and Tenzin, but he had no idea who the woman was. The two Dai Li agents bowed, and left.</p><p>“President Raiko, Tenzin, how good it is to see you again!” He turned to the woman, who at the moment, looked distinctly unimpressed. “And I can’t say we’ve met before, Mrs…? He takes her hand to kiss, a suave smile plastered on his face. </p><p>“<em> Chief </em>Beifong” She said as she yanked her hand back, sporting a glare that could make the most hardened of criminals tremble.</p><p>“Of course, Chief Beifong. I do <em> love </em>a woman in uniform.” </p><p>“Prince Wu, we are most honored to have you in Republic City,” Raiko looked eager to change the subject. “I hope your accommodations here at the Four Elements will be satisfactory, as you will be living here until it is safe for you to return to Ba Sing Se and assume your rightful place on the Earth Kingdom throne.”</p><p>“Well, I must admit, certain members of the staff weren’t quite up to my <em> very </em>high expectations, I noticed a missing button on a bell hop’s uniform, you see, and the foyer of the suite is rather small, but I’m sure that I will make myself very comfortable here.” Wu clapped Tenzin on the shoulder and gave him a knowing smirk. “Besides, I don’t plan on spending too much time cooped up here. Not when the world's finest nightclubs and hottest ladies wait only blocks away.”</p><p>Lin rolled her eyes. Tenzin blushed. “I’m afraid, Prince Wu, that it’s not quite that simple. Due to… shall we say… tense circumstances regarding the late Earth Queen — and by proxy the whole royal family — you will have to remain under constant protection. We will have several officers, provided by Chief Beifong, stationed in and around the hotel at all hours, but you will also have a personal bodyguard who will accompany you wherever you go.”</p><p>Wu was not happy to hear this. He had had bodyguards back in Ba Sing Se, and in his opinion, they were glorified babysitters. He was grown up now, basically the King already, he didn’t need someone following him day and night. </p><p>President Raiko stepped to the side and turned to the back of the room. “This is Mako, he will be your bodyguard for the duration of your stay in Republic City.” </p><p>From a dark corner of the room that Wu hadn’t noticed before emerged the single most attractive man Wu had ever seen. The man was tall, dark haired, and had a jawline that could cut glass. His eyebrows were peculiarly shaped — Wu would personally have amended that — but he supposed that they could be overlooked. His arms were lean and muscled, Wu suspected that his torso would be as well. He held himself in a way that said <em> I’m powerful, and I want everyone to know it. </em> His mouth was set into what seemed a permanent frown, but the coldness didn’t reach his eyes. </p><p>Looking at Mako for half a second, Wu knew that he’d never have a chance with him.</p><p>This wasn’t some homoerotic epiphany for Wu, though. He knew he was gay. He always had, and he wasn’t in denial about it. But he was also the crown prince of the Earth Kingdom, the most conservative and least accepting of all the nations. He had an image to maintain, and he was aware of that nearly every waking hour of every day. </p><p>In this moment, however, in the presence of this stunningly gorgeous man, Wu realized that his facade had slipped. Just for a second, he looked every part the crushing schoolboy he was; his eyes were wide, his jaw slack, and it’s possible he was drooling a little. Just for a second, but a single second of suspicion could ruin Wu’s chances at becoming King, so he quickly controlled his features and replaced the mask that he had so carefully created of a desperate and failed womanizer.</p><p>He sighed dramatically. “Well, I suppose I can put up with a bodyguard, so long as he doesn’t crimp my style or steal my dates.”</p><p>If Mako was amused by Wu’s statement, he made no indication of it.</p><p>“Now, if there is nothing better to do, which of course there isn’t, I must go shopping. If I have to spend another minute in this…” He paused, trying to find a word that could aptly describe what he was wearing. “... frock, I’m going to break out in hives and then I’ll be ugly and pockmarked forever. Good day to you all.” And with that, Wu proudly exited the suite, Mako trailing in his wake. </p><p>As the door shut behind them, Lin shook her head and sighed. Tenzin and Raiko looked at her, confused.</p><p>“What? What’s so funny?” Tenzin asked, impervious to the apparent humor of the situation.</p><p>“Oh nothing. Nothing at all.” Lin laughed under her breath. “This is going to be an interesting visit.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Republic City Would be Even Better if it Had a Grid System</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The events of the first three chapters, including this one, occur somewhere between the end of Season 3 and the beginning of Season 4 of TLOK.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>By the time Wu and Mako left the hotel, the sun had started to set and the air had turned cold.  Despite his eagerness to finally get into some proper clothes, Wu could hardly think about shopping. All of his thoughts were focused on the man trailing silently a few feet behind him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wu wondered what Mako might think about him, and then condemned himself for being curious. If he was going to keep his sexuality a secret, Wu had to get rid of his crush, and fast. He refused to even look at Mako, knowing that one glance could send him into dazed stupor. He walked at a brisk pace, well ahead of Mako, determined to put as much space between the two of them as possible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, Wu soon found that not looking at Mako was no easy feat. Wu longed to look into those amber eyes, to examine every inch of the sharp angles of his face. He wanted to spend hours and hours raking over his long legs, his stomach, his chest. But no. No. Wu couldn’t do any of these things. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Spirits, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Wu thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m such a disaster. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uhh… Prince Wu.” This was the first time Wu had heard Mako’s voice, and by god, it only made him more attractive. Wu’s breath hitched, but he kept walking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do realize you’ve taken us in a giant circle.” Wu paused, and sure enough, he recognized the buildings surrounding them. They had walked past them not ten minutes ago. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the first time that night, Wu turned to face Mako, but he still avoided his eyes, fearing that if he looked into them, Mako would see the truth. “Oh well, I was never one much for directions. I spent most of my time in the Upper Ring anyway; everything there is so neatly laid out.” Wu decided to risk asking Mako a question. “I don’t suppose you would know where one could purchase clothes befitting a Prince, would you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mako looked a little offended. “Yeah, well, I’ve never been there, but I know where it is.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fantastic! Lead on!” Much to rational-Wu’s dismay, and to the lovesick-Wu’s satisfaction, Mako decided to walk by his side as opposed to in front of him. Wu figured it must be a bodyguarding sin to let the person you were protecting out of your sight. Unfortunately for Wu, this also meant he couldn’t hide his face from Mako, and thanks to the manners instilled in him by his years of etiquette training, he felt compelled to make conversation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wu decided to do what Wu did best: talk about himself, always avoiding that one crucial detail. “It’s very important for a Prince to have the right clothes, of course. Each event has a different dresscode; it would be social suicide to attend a luncheon in black tie attire. And if I want to become the Earth King, and I do, I can’t let my adoring public see me dressed like this. Why, if I was an Earth Kingdom citizen and I saw me wearing this sack, I’d have me overthrown!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wu looked at Mako carefully for a reaction, but saw none. Mako was truly very good at the whole stoic bodyguard thing. Wu continued on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got to say, I thought the ladies of the Upper Ring were stunning, but they’re nothing compared to the women of Republic City. See that one, over there?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wu pointed to a tall woman with red hair in a low cut white dress chatting with her friends.  He recognized her as a mover star and knew he would be rejected without a second thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just stay here and watch the Wu-ster do his thang.” Wu waltzed over to her, chest puffed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me madam.” The mover star turned to look at him. “Hi there, Prince Wu: soon to be King of the Earth Kingdom. I was wondering if I could take you and your lovely friends out to dinner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The mover star’s friends put their hands in front of their mouths to hide their laughter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh honey, I wouldn’t go out with you if the only things left on this planet were you, me, and a couple spirit vines.” Wu smiled to himself, another success. He walked back to Mako, who had an almost amused expression on his face, an eyebrow raised halfway to the stratosphere. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re quite the charmer.” Evidently, Mako was a master of sarcasm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It may not look like it right now, but I’ve got her on my hook. Give it a few hours, maybe days, and she’ll turn up at my doorstep, begging for the chance to go out with this hot piece of royal ass. It works every time.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And indeed, that last sentence hadn’t been a lie. When Wu realized the consequences of his sexuality being exposed, he put together a foolproof formula: Go after the hottest and least attainable girl in the area with zero tact, getting an almost guaranteed rejection, and then act as if somehow, he had seduced her instantaneously. Nothing was more heterosexual than unearned confidence and being unable to take “no” for an answer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mako softly shook his head and sighed softly, subtly rolling his eyes. “If you say so.” Wu was upset to know that Mako likely thought him to be a complete idiot, but he was relieved that his ruse had worked. In the past hour, Wu had felt more vulnerable than he had in his entire life, so he knew he would have to lay it on thick. They walked a couple meters in silence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look around, Prince Wu, we’re here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had arrived in Republic City’s upscale shopping district. Every storefront was labeled with elaborate writing, enormous satmobiles were parked along the streets. Well dressed people mingled in the entries to shops, giving orders to drivers and personal assistants. Wu was instantly self conscious about his current attire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Finally! Some people with good taste.” Mako looked more uncomfortable than impressed. People looked peculiarly at Wu and Mako, no doubt wondering what in the world these two poor, badly dressed scoundrels were doing in their midst. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quick!” Wu covered his face. “I have to get into something decent before someone recognizes me!” Wu ran into the nearest shop, Mako following closely behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From the moment Wu stepped inside the boutique, he felt at home. Shopping put him at ease — he loved to touch the various fabrics, sample the expensive perfumes, and keep up with the latest trends. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mako, on the other hand, looked as if he wished he could be anywhere but where he currently was. He was tense, shoulders hunched and eyes darting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they moved further into the shop, Wu got his first proper look around. His eyes went wide. He had never seen such a variety of clothes. The Earth Kingdom had fine silk and beautiful garments, but nearly everything was one style, one color palette. Wu knew he would have no such limitations here. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh isn’t it wonderful?” In a matter of seconds, Wu began taking items off of the racks and throwing them into Mako’s unready arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s all this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well I can’t carry them all myself, now, can I?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They exited the store two hours later, only leaving because the owners had insisted on closing at the usual hour. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the first time since his Great Aunt died, Wu felt like himself. He had bought out more than half of the store, and was finally dressed in something fit for public viewing. In the end, he decided to stick to mostly Earth Kingdom colors, he didn’t want it to seem like he was distancing himself from the Kingdom. Still, the clothes in Republic City were so much more interesting. Wu planned on spending the next several weeks touring the city’s various shopping districts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wu had also hoped that if he returned to the familiar ritual of shopping, he would finally be able to put Mako out of his mind. But as he looked back to see Mako nearly buried in the bags full of his new clothes, he knew it hadn’t done the trick. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. I guess being hot runs in the family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Wu and Mako attend a gala. It doesn't exactly go to plan.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hey guys! I'm sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up. i blame my physics prof. </p><p>hopefully the next one will be up a little sooner :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It seemed to Wu that each day in Republic City passed in much the same way. Every day, Wu was forced to go to some boring meeting where they’d tell him the same thing: It wasn’t safe for him to return yet. Don’t worry, Kuvira is putting the Earth Kingdom back together. The best thing he could do for his people was to stay in Republic City where he was safe.</p><p> </p><p>Wu had never felt quite so useless.</p><p> </p><p>And on top of that, Wu had to deal with Mako — handsome, chivalrous Mako — following his every footstep. When Wu woke up, Mako was there, checking on him from the next room. When Wu went to the bathroom, Mako would stand just outside the door. When Wu went to meetings, Mako stood in a shadowy corner, watching. And through all of this, Mako remained stoic, never once deviating from his composure as the perfect bodyguard. Sure, he was friendly enough, but always at a distance. </p><p> </p><p>On one hand, Wu resented Mako. He sometimes thought that Mako had to be some sort of divine punishment for Wu’s arrogance and vanity; an evil spirit designed specifically to make him miserable and lovesick until the end of time. He wanted nothing more to be free of Mako and live his life without the constant threat of exposure he saw Mako to be.</p><p> </p><p>On the other, Mako’s distanced professionalism was almost worse. There was a part of Wu, the part he was always trying so hard to hide, that wanted more than anything to be close to Mako, to get to know him, to find out what makes him tick, to touch and to hold him. That part of Wu would settle for any closeness to Mako, but Wu told himself that it was impossible, that their separation was for the best; Any attempt at friendship would only leave him wanting more and even more impossibly in love with him. There could never be anything between them, friendship or otherwise, it was that simple.</p><p> </p><p>A few months after he arrived in Republic City, Wu’s resolve would be put to the ultimate test. It was the night of a gala at City Hall thrown in the honor of Kuvira, who had been reuniting the Earth Kingdom since the Queen’s assasination. In the hours before the gala, Wu was in the throes of his beauty routine.</p><p> </p><p>As Wu prepared, Mako sat in the parlor.</p><p> </p><p> “Prince Wu, the gala is in thirty minutes. Hurry up.” Mako said, rather curtly. Upon receiving no response from the preoccupied Wu, Mako continued. “What are you doing?” </p><p> </p><p>“What am I <em> doing </em>?” He ridiculed. “Getting ready for the gala, of course! This is my first major public appearance in over a year, and I have to look…” He paused as he tied his cravat, “absolutely perfect. There we go.”</p><p> </p><p>Wu emerged from the bathroom, looking, if he did say so himself, pretty fantastic. He was wearing an elegant earth-kingdom-green suit with golden embroidery around the collar, sleeves, and buttons that complemented the warmth of his skin. He tied the ensemble together with an almost imperceptible golden shimmer around his eyes. </p><p> </p><p>Wu looked at Mako, who was still sitting on a sofa, and shrieked in horror. “Is <em> that </em> what you’re wearing?” Wu felt faint.</p><p> </p><p>Confused, Mako looked down at his outfit, nearly the same thing he wore every day. “Uh… yes? Is that a problem?”</p><p> </p><p>“This isn’t a problem, it’s a disaster! You can’t go to a gala wearing this, especially not as <em> my </em>bodyguard.” Wu ran to one of his two walk-in closets and hurriedly began to flip through its contents, throwing different items onto the floor as he searched. </p><p> </p><p>“No… No! This won’t do at all! Spirits!” Finally, Wu’s fingers traced over perhaps the one thing he owned that would fit Mako. He had bought it in a flight of fancy, thinking of how he could gift it to Mako at some point. Wu debated whether or not it was worth the embarrassment he felt about his purchase to give it to Mako. Certainly his current clothes couldn’t be <em> that </em> bad.</p><p> </p><p>After a quick look back, Wu concluded that no, they were that bad. He took a breath to steady himself and then marched back to the parlor. </p><p> </p><p>“Here. Change into this! And quickly!” Wu thrust the garment bag at Mako.</p><p> </p><p>Mako looked at the bag, the corners of his mouth turning down. “I’m not wearing this.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh yes you are. You’d be an embarrassment to the future Earth King otherwise. Do you really want to humiliate royalty?”</p><p> </p><p>Mako sighed, though out of disgust or simply annoyance Wu couldn’t tell. “Fine.” Mako spat out, but he took the garment bag and trudged back to his room. The second he slammed the door, Wu slumped down onto the sofa. He put his fingers to his temples.</p><p> </p><p>By the time Mako came back, Wu almost felt normal. That all went away in an instant.</p><p> </p><p>Mako stood awkwardly, shoulders slumped. It was as if he was trying to appear small, something that Wu had never seen him do before. He scratched the back of his neck, trying to look anywhere but the Prince sitting in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>Wu, on the other hand, was uncomfortable for a <em> very </em>different reason.</p><p> </p><p>Mako was stunningly handsome on an average day, but now, dressed in fine black clothes with pale gold accents that matched his eyes, he was drop dead gorgeous. Wu felt intoxicated just looking at him. The slightly too-tight sleeves did nothing to hide the defined muscles of his arms, and the pants…. <em> Spirits </em>. He realized one second too late where his eyes had gone, but thankfully, Mako was still staring at the ground.</p><p> </p><p>Wu swallowed, his mouth had gone dry. “Well, it needs to be tailored, the pants and sleeves are too short, but I suppose it will have to do.” Mako bashfully tried to pull the cuffs of his sleeves further down.</p><p> </p><p>“I must say, Mako,” Now it was Wu’s turn to stare at the floor, “You do look quite handsome when you try. Except for the eyebrows of course, those are still atrocious.” </p><p> </p><p>Mako reached up to touch his eyebrows, scowling. “My eyebrows are perfectly fine, thank you very much.” </p><p> </p><p>“Sure, sure. Now let’s go! I have a gala to attend.”</p><p> </p><p>~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~</p><p> </p><p>Much to Wu’s relief, they arrived at the gala well within the allowance for what was considered fashionably late. Once inside, Wu was surrounded by Republic City’s elite; he thought he recognized the heiress to the Sato fortune, as well as a few other high rollers he’d encountered galavanting about the city. He saw who he assumed could only be Kuvira talking to Raiko. Standing behind them was Beifong, who looked characteristically pissed off.</p><p> </p><p>“Prince Wu,” he turned around to look at Mako, god he was handsome. <em> I should have gotten him new clothes months ago if it means he’ll look like this all the time </em>. It was only after a couple seconds of ogling that Wu realized who Mako was standing next to. </p><p> </p><p><em> No, it couldn't be... Nuktuk? Hero of the South? </em>Of course Wu’s gay fantasy had to be here standing right next to the man he was probably in love with. He just couldn’t ever catch a break. </p><p> </p><p>“This is my brother, Bolin.”</p><p> </p><p>Wu was aghast, all of his so expertly cultivated manners forgotten. </p><p> </p><p>“Bolin? Your brother is Nuktuk?” <em> This can’t be happening, </em>Wu thought as he remembered to pick his jaw off of the floor. “You didn’t tell me your brother was a mover star!” </p><p> </p><p>Mako sheepishly scratched the back of his neck, that seemed to be a habit of his. “It just never came up I guess.”</p><p> </p><p>“Never came up? How, in the name of the Spirits, could you have possibly forgotten to bring it up?”</p><p> </p><p>Mako looked at his toes. “Well, uhhh… I, I-”</p><p> </p><p>Bolin cut in. “Hey it’s alright. It’s been a while since I’ve done a mover anyway. It’s good to meet you, Prince Wu. Mako has told me lots about you.” Bolin smirked. Mako gave Bolin a blood chilling glare.</p><p> </p><p>Wu’s eyes went wide as he tried to comprehend the meaning of what Bolin had just said. What would Mako even have to say about him? Was he just complaining, or did he think more of Wu than he let on?<em> No, that couldn’t be it, stop deluding yourself you homosexual disaster.  </em></p><p> </p><p>“All good I hope?” Wu shook Bolin’s hand. Bolin chuckled. Mako’s cheeks flushed as he stared intently at something on the wall.</p><p> </p><p>“Nearly all.”</p><p> </p><p><em> Great, </em> thought Mako, <em> this is going to be so useful while trying to repress my fantasies. </em>He noticed that Mako was still blushing. What could that mean? </p><p> </p><p>Wu suddenly remembered his manners.</p><p> </p><p>“Anyway, Bolin, what are you doing here? I didn’t know you were still in Republic City.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I’m not,” Bolin smiled broadly again, “I’m with Kuvira.” He blushed, eyes panicked. “Well not <em> with </em>with Kuvira. Baatar Jr would kill me, and so would Opal, and so would Suyin, and so would the other Baatar… oh boy. What I meant was I’m working for her, helping rebuild the Earth Kingdom and all that. I haven’t spent much time in one place, mostly we go from village to village and help the people there get back on their feet.” Bolin’s smile was genuine, Wu could tell that nothing brought him more joy than helping others. “It’s nice to be home though, I haven’t been back for nearly a year.” His nearly ever-present smile faded at this. “Missed this guy, too!”</p><p> </p><p>Bolin jabbed Mako in the arm. “Hey!” Bolin rolled his eyes, even Wu couldn’t repress a smile. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh shut up. You know you love me.” The corner of Mako’s mouth twitched before it broke into a sly grin. </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, I guess I do.” He ruffled Bolin’s hair.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey! I worked hard on that!” Bolin worked furiously to smooth his now spiky hair into something more presentable. When he was satisfied with his repaired coiff, he straightened out and looked across the room. Wu followed his gaze. Kuvira was glaring at him. “Oh shit. I’m being summoned.”</p><p> </p><p>“Go, you don’t want to get on her bad side.” Mako gave his brother a manly clap on the shoulder. “I’ll see you later though?” </p><p> </p><p>Bolin looked at the ground, his lips pursed. “Actually, no, you won’t. I have to leave right after the gala and go back to the Earth Kingdom. Kuvira makes sure we don’t waste a single second. Sorry Mako…”</p><p> </p><p>The light faded from Mako’s eyes. Wu could tell he was trying not to look too disappointed. “I get it. You’re an important man now. You’re doing good, bro.”</p><p> </p><p>Bolin smiled at this. “Thanks Mako. It was nice meeting you, Wu.” Bolin walked away briskly, Mako looking after him wistfully. It didn’t take a mind reader to figure out that Mako was thinking, and Wu was reasonably intuitive. </p><p> </p><p>“Mako, go. Hang out with Bolin and Kuvira for a bit. You should spend time with him before he leaves.” </p><p> </p><p>“No, I have to stay with you. It’s my job.”</p><p> </p><p>“Look, I’ll be fine. It’s a party. I’m in my natural element.” Mako looked between Wu and Bolin, contemplating.  </p><p> </p><p>“I guess it’ll probably be okay. But you better not wander off anywhere. I’ll be back in a bit”</p><p> </p><p>“Please. Why would I go anywhere when all of this city’s finest women are in this ballroom?” Wu expected a snort from Mako, or at least an eyeroll, but he had already made his way over to Bolin and a couple of other people he didn’t recognize. Wu sighed. </p><p> </p><p>~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~</p><p> </p><p>In his defense, Wu had intended to stick to his word. For the next hour or so, he trapezed around the ballroom, talking to the right people, flirting with the women, but his mind was elsewhere. Every few minutes, Wu gave into the urge to scan the ballroom until he found Mako. He and Bolin had stayed with Kuvira for a bit, but they had since broken off and were socializing with the other guests. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, Prince Wu! Just the man I wanted to find!” A tall, mustachioed man — southern water tribe if his clothes were any indication — pulled Wu over to the side of the room. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry, who are you?”</p><p> </p><p>The man clapped Wu on the back. “Varrick, of Varrick Industries, of course. Zhu Li?” A woman with glasses popped up, seemingly out of nowhere.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, sir.” Zhu Li handed Wu the most ornate business card he’d ever seen. Wu could tell that Varrick was his kind of guy.</p><p> </p><p>“As I was saying, I have a proposition for you. I may be working with Kuvira for the time being, and strictly speaking, and I may technically be on the run from the Republic City police department, but that doesn’t mean I can’t work on new and exciting business ventures. Now, here’s the pitch. I want to use your likeness for…”</p><p> </p><p>Despite Varrick’s enthusiasm, Wu’s mind had wandered. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Mako surrounded by a gaggle of the most attractive women Wu had ever seen. He knew he ought to be paying attention to Varrick, but how could he look away when these <em> girls </em>were flirting with Mako. They were all over him! He saw one throw her head back and laugh, an act which Wu knew was supposed to be alluring. Wu felt his stomach drop as one of them placed her dainty hand on Mako’s chest.</p><p> </p><p>“... would sell thousands of copies and make us a pretty penny. So Wu, what do you say?” </p><p> </p><p>The world was spinning around Wu, he couldn’t see straight. “I’m sorry, I’m afraid I feel a little queasy. I’m going to step out and get some fresh air.” Wu had to stop himself from sprinting away.</p><p> </p><p>“Shit! Beifong’s spotted us. Zhu Li, do the thing!” In the ensuing chaos, no one noticed as Wu slipped out a back door into an alley.</p><p> </p><p>The cold air greeted him like a slap to the face, but it was welcome. Wu inhaled, the crisp air pulling him back to reality. </p><p> </p><p><em> Come on, Wu! </em> he thought, <em> Get it together. He’s straight, he’s handsome. Of course he’s going to get attention from girls. </em>Wu actually banged his head against the wall. In his bout of self hatred, he didn’t notice as two shadowy figures entered the alley.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello, Prince Wu. Nice evening, isn’t it?” Said the taller of the two.</p><p> </p><p>Wu may have been an occasionally oblivious person, but even he could tell these men’s intentions were far from good. </p><p> </p><p>“I suppose. A bit chilly for my tastes.” The men creeped closer. Wu could see every detail of their scarred and ugly faces. His heart beat faster. </p><p> </p><p>“Well, you won’t be out here for much longer, thankfully.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re going to bring us quite the bounty. You’re quite popular in certain circles in the Earth Kingdom, you know.” The shorter man cackled. </p><p> </p><p>Wu knew his chances weren’t good. He’d never taken martial arts lessons, he couldn’t bend, and he was hardly what one would call “built”. Still, he fell into the closest thing to a defensive stance he could manage. </p><p> </p><p>The taller man made a grab for him, but Wu dodged it. Wu tried to punch him in the face, but he lost his balance and fell right into the other’s waiting arms. </p><p> </p><p>Out of nowhere, a giant flame threw the first bandit into the wall. Wu looked for it’s source. <em> Mako… </em> Despite the situation and the fear coursing through his veins. Wu’s heart melted. <em> Mako had come to save him </em> . Then Wu remembered that <em> was </em> kind of his job description. Then he remembered he was in the process of being kidnapped. </p><p> </p><p>By the time he finished the thought, Mako had taken out the taller bandit and was holding the other at firepoint? Wu wasn’t really sure how to describe it. </p><p> </p><p>“Let Prince Wu go.” Mako raised an eyebrow. “Or else.”</p><p> </p><p><em> Spirits, that’s hot. </em> Wu was amazed at his ability to be a pining gay idiot even in the most nightmarish of moments. He supposed it was sort of a talent.</p><p> </p><p>Evidently, the bandit had a very different but equally strong reaction to Mako’s words, as he let go of Wu and made a hasty exit. The second he was gone, Mako turned to Wu, who was still in some form of shock, though likely not from what Mako thought caused it.</p><p> </p><p>“Wu!” Mako grabbed Wu by the shoulders. “What the hell were you thinking?” Wu said nothing, he couldn’t exactly explain the real reason he went outside, and was still too out of it to come up with a good lie. “I told you <em> not </em>to wander off for exactly this reason!” He let go of Wu and started pacing. “I know this might not occur to you, all wrapped up in your own world, but not everyone likes you all that much. There’s a lot of people who want you out of the way!”</p><p> </p><p>Wu finally came to his senses, and now he was a little insulted. “Of course I know that! That’s what I have you for. And look, I’m fine. You saved the day.” </p><p> </p><p>Mako ran his hands through his hair “But what if I hadn’t? What then? Then you’d be kidnapped and I’d be dead by Beifong’s hand.” Mako slumped down on the wall of a building, shaking his head. </p><p> </p><p>“I should have stayed with you. Leaving you alone was stupid.” Mako no longer sounded angry, just deeply disappointed with himself. It broke Mako’s heart.</p><p> </p><p>“No. I’m the one who told you to go. And besides, I shouldn’t have wandered off.” He sat down a few feet away from Mako. He felt like he should comfort Mako, but he couldn’t bring himself to reach out and put a hand on his shoulder. And so, they sat there in silence for a few moments until Mako started making some weird noise. It sounded like he was choking. </p><p> </p><p>“Mako!” Wu panicked. “Are you okay?” Mako raised his head; Wu saw that he was smiling. <em> Was he laughing? Oh my spirits, he is. </em>Mako guffawed.</p><p> </p><p>“What could you <em> possibly </em>be laughing at? I was almost kidnapped!”</p><p> </p><p>Mako was near tears. “You! Spirits, you really tried to fight them off? Wha- what did you think was going to happen! You really should have seen yourself...”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey! Look, I tried my best okay. I’m a Prince. Princes don’t fight.”</p><p> </p><p>“You threw one punch and then fell flat on your face, or you would have, if you hadn’t fallen into the arms of your kidnapper!” Mako howled. </p><p> </p><p>Mako’s laughter quickly became infectious and Wu could no longer feel insulted. He giggled. The giggle turned into a chuckle, then a hearty laugh. Soon, both boys were in stitches, clutching at their stomachs.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey Wu,” Mako said as he wiped a tear from his eye. “You’re not so bad.” </p><p> </p><p>Wu smiled. “You’re not so bad yourself.”</p><p> </p><p>Mako stood up and offered his hand to Wu. Wu hesitated. Could he allow himself this: a friendship? Would it be too dangerous? Might he be outed? In the end, he chose to ignore every rule he had imposed on himself since adolescence. He could never have what he really wanted, but he could at least have this. He took Mako’s hand.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Okay Maybe Wu Was a Little Attached</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry this chapter is on the shorter side. Originally, I was going to have it go on longer, but in the end I decided to split it up into multiple chapters.</p><p>The events of this chapter take place immediately before S4E3 of TLOK.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>From that night on, things were different. Though Wu still held back, never letting himself be truly vulnerable, he and Mako had become friends, of a sort. Their routines stayed much the same, but now they weren’t quite so dull.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wu still attended the same boring meetings where the same boring things were repeated day after day, but now he had Mako to suffer through them with. They bitched about Raiko when he was being particularly pompous; they laughed at Beifong for her inability to pay attention to Raiko. And though Wu still felt useless, it was nice to have someone to feel useless with. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wu had hoped, prayed even, that his feelings for Mako would go away, but they never did. In fact, it seemed that with every day he grew even more enamored. At first, Wu’s crush on Mako was superficial, shallow; based only on his considerable good looks. But as Wu learned more about him, about how much he wanted to help people, as he heard the stories of Mako’s childhood out on the streets, he grew to love Mako for something more. He loved Mako for his unwavering bravery, for his loyalty to those he cared for.  Mako was usually closed off, but in the fleeting moments of honesty Wu got to witness, he revealed the parts of himself which Wu adored the most. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And yet, he was never entirely honest with Mako. How could he be? As much as it pained him, Wu could never allow himself to be truly close to him. He could never let the facade drop, not even for a second. But at the same time, Wu was already in too deep to stay away.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The months passed quickly once he and Mako became friends, and soon, it seemed that Kuvira, or “the Great Uniter,” as Wu had heard her be called, had successfully pieced the fragile Earth states back together. Or at least that’s what her people said. With every one of her supposed successes, Wu felt a growing sense of uneasiness. The last time they had met, she had seemed severe, but generally amicable and having good intentions. Now, Wu wasn’t so sure.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Still, she hadn’t been openly hostile towards him or the United Republic, and Wu supposed he ought to count his blessings. It was practically a miracle the Earth Kingdom still existed. He voiced his concerns to Mako, who also seemed skeptical, but decided to trust Bolin’s judgement on the matter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In what seemed like no time at all, it was time for Wu’s coronation and subsequent return to Ba Sing Se. It was a bittersweet moment for Wu. On one hand, Wu had been waiting for this moment his entire life. Since he was a little boy he had dreamed of it, planning out every single detail. He’d thought about the clothes, the guest list, even the badger mole he would arrive on. And as he grew older, he also longed for the day he could be king so that he could help his kingdom, which for so long had been on the brink of collapse. Though the idea of ruling terrified him, Wu wanted nothing more than to be a good and just king.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the other hand, returning to Ba Sing Se would mean leaving Republic City, and in doing so, leaving Mako. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wu had hardly built himself a life in Republic City. After his near-kidnapping, Raiko and Tenzin had gotten anxious. They didn’t let him do anything now. He spent most of his time in his rooms at the Four Elements or stuck in City Hall, so there weren’t many opportunities to make friends. In Republic City, Mako had become his whole world, one he knew he would have to let go of. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Wu woke up that morning, he felt a pit in his stomach. Eventually, he dragged himself out of bed and into the bathroom. When he opened the door, Mako was already shaving in the large double mirror.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good morning.” Wu thought he’d be used to seeing Mako after all of these months, but he still took his breath away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good morning.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ready for the big day?” Mako looked away from the mirror. His eyes held some new emotion, but Wu couldn’t figure out what it was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You mean am I ready to become the greatest ruler in Earth Kingdom History and be received gloriously by my adoring subjects?” Mako scoffed. “Then of course, I am very ready.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know if you’re citizens will be happy to see you looking like that. You look like you haven’t slept in a week!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?!” Wu ran to the mirror, his face almost pressed up against the glass. “Oh Spirits, I look abysmal!” There were dark circles under his eyes and his hair was messier than he had ever seen it. Mako laughed, but upon seeing Wu’s glare, tried to cover it with a cough. “You!” Wu’s eyes narrowed. “Get out! I need every inch of this bathroom if I want to look decent in an hour.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But I haven’t brushed my teeth yet!” Mako was washing the shaving cream from his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Too bad. You’re not the Prince in this relationship.” The second the word </span>
  <em>
    <span>relationship </span>
  </em>
  <span>left his mouth, Wu wished he could take it back. But thankfully, Mako didn’t seem to think anything of it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You- I- Ugh!” Mako exhaled haughtily, but he grabbed his toothbrush and went back to his room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>An hour later, Wu emerged from the bathroom looking mostly himself. Mako was standing in the parlor by the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Finally, we’re almost late.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you tell me earlier? We must leave at once!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry too much. I’m sure they couldn’t start the coronation without you O-Mighty-Soon-To-Be-Earth-King” Mako bowed dramatically.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s about time you started showing some respect. Still. I don’t want to miss the dance of the badger moles.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The walk to the hall was pleasant, but Wu still felt a type of sadness creeping over him. He would miss this. He would miss the comfortable silence they had found, walking around Republic City. He figured he should say something to Mako now, before he had to leave. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mako?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just wanted to- I’ll miss you, you know. In Ba Sing Se.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mako stopped and looked right at Wu with a small smile. “I’ll miss you, too.” Mako suddenly seemed scared at his own vulnerability. “I mean, believe me, you’re a bodyguard’s worst nightmare. Wandering off all the time, talking to random people on the street.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But in spite of that, somehow, I actually like being around you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“High praise.” A pregnant silence fell over them as they neared City Hall. Now Wu was nervous. This is what he had always wanted, and he was so close, but what if he wasn’t a good King? What if everyone hated him and he just made things worse? Oh Spirits, he thought he was ready, but now that it was the morning of his coronation, he wanted nothing more than to hide in the relative safety and anonymity of Republic City forever. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I guess this is it, huh?” Mako stared at his shoes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not leaving for a couple more days, but yeah, I guess it is.” Wu wanted so badly to hug Mako, to tell him how he really felt, or at leat say he cared for him in a decidedly </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>gay way. But he couldn’t. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We should go. Lots to prepare.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, let’s go.” Together they rounded the corner and City Hall came into view.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Not the Dancing Badgermoles!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi again. I really am sorry about the very large gap in between when I posted the last chapter and when I posted this one. I lost motivation for a while, but I'm back now, and I hope you all are too. </p>
<p>We're still in the part of the story where I'm more or less following the canon, but some things don't line up perfectly. If you go back and watch S4E3, you'll see that I switched some things up, (in this chapter I switched a setting slightly) sometimes because I realized half way through that I didn't remember it correctly and was too lazy to fix it, and other times because it suited my story better to change it, especially because TLOK switches between many different characters' points of view and I stay with Wu the whole time. </p>
<p>Though I hope otherwise, especially as we now get into the first big conflict of the story, I have to stray from characters' canon personalities and characterization sometimes. I try to stay true to the characters we all know in love, and while I want this story to be a humorous one, thematically it's pretty different from TLOK, and it doesn't always translate easily.</p>
<p>In my prolonged and unplanned hiatus, I also took the liberty of going back and making some (very) minor changes to the previous chapters. Mostly just fixing grammatical errors, but also changing some small things I wasn't quite happy with. None of the story lines or major details have changed.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The courtyard was filled with various people bustling around. Everywhere he could see, something or other was being constructed; bleachers being erected, large stone decorations being wheeled around. And in the middle of it all stood Raiko and Tenzin, deep in discussion. Wu was still too far away to hear what they were saying, but there was a crease in Tenzin’s brow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello all! It is I, Prince - soon to be King - Wu! And of course, his loyal bodyguard.” Wu approached the pair, Mako trailing close behind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m afraid I’ve made some last minute changes to the plan, but no worries, I’ll get you up to speed.. There will be thousands of people in the streets, all excited to see my coronation, when all of a sudden, these boulders come rolling through. And guess what pops out of them? Earth bender dames! These gals start banging the boulders like drums and sing the song of my royal lineage. It’s the most dynamite six-hour show you’ve ever seen in your life.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It will certainly be something special.” said Tenzin, barely hiding his exasperation. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Out of the corner of his eyes, Wu spotted something horrible: a metal bender was putting bleachers up right in the middle of the procession. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey! You can’t put bleachers there! There won’t be enough room for the dance of the badgermoles! Look! It’s gonna go like this.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Royals. They love their ceremonies.” He heard Raiko say as he ran over to the metal bender. Mako scoffed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he attempted to fix the would-be disaster of the misplaced bleachers, Wu kept an eye on the trio standing a few meters away. They were speaking too low for him to hear, but their body language was clear. Tenzin was angry and Raiko was on defense. Mako looked worried. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“See? It’s not hard. Now there will be room for the badgermoles and people will have an even better view of me as I descend from the stairs.” His work complete, Wu rejoined the group, standing at Mako’s side. The conversation quickly halted upon Wu’s return, something which he did not fail to notice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Prince Wu,” Tenzin said, a little awkwardly. “President Raiko and I must go and welcome the Earth King delegation, you will meet with them later.” With that, he and the President turned and walked up the stairs into City Hall.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wu turned to Mako, accusatorily. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Were you talking about me?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I- What? No, of course not!” Mako’s face was flushed as he sputtered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh come on, I could see them arguing, and you all stopped the second I walked over here. I may be pretty, but it doesn’t mean I’m an idiot.” Wu gave him a practiced princely stare. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, fine, yeah, kind of. Not really </span>
  <em>
    <span>about</span>
  </em>
  <span> you, I guess, just… everything.” Mako spat out the last word.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean, everything?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s Kuvira. She’s gathering an army, and it’s not just a band of do-gooders anymore. They have weapons, probably some pretty powerful ones, and her numbers are only growing. Tenzin’s worried. He thinks Kuvira might be a little reluctant to hand the keys of the Earth Kingdom back to you. There are reports that she’s been throwing anyone who won’t cooperate into prison camps. And we still haven’t heard from Korra, so…” He trailed off, looking at his feet, lips pursed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Despite what some might think, considering the side of himself he presented to the world, this worried Wu immensely. A black pit formed in his stomach.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What does Raiko think?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“He seems to think that Kuvira will stick to her word.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wu bit his lip. He looked up to Mako, who was still glaring at the ground. As worried as he was about his Kingdom, it hurt Wu even more to see Mako like this.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And what do you think?” He asked this very softly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What do </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>think?” Mako laughed, but the tension didn’t leave his body. “I think that things could go to shit very quickly. I want to trust my brother, Wu, but I’m starting to think he’s gotten mixed up in something dangerous. I don’t know what Kuvira’s planning, but from the reports we’ve been getting, I don’t think she’s going to want to give up power anytime soon.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wu stood very quietly, thinking. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well then I guess we’ll just have to carry on as normal, show no sign of weakness.” He nodded, as much to convince himself as to convince Mako. He took a deep breath. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think Bolin would ever intentionally hurt someone. He’s your brother, so he has to be good. And I’m sorry about Korra. I know you two were… close. I’m sure they’ll find her soon.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mako said nothing, but he looked up to meet Wu’s gaze. Wu quickly looked away, putting back on the mask.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Like I said,” Wu said this for all to hear, “We must carry on as normal, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>have to make sure that none of these absolute imbeciles are going to ruin my coronation!” Wu saw yet another metal bender setting up bleachers in the wrong place. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No! I just told one of your idiot friends, you can’t put the bleachers there! In a couple of hours I will be the King of the Earth Kingdom and still no one listens to me! Does no one have vision?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thirty minutes later, finally content with the placement of </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>bleachers, Wu walked over to Mako, who was sitting on the steps of City Hall, looking a little bored. Even bored he was angelic. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh shut the fuck up, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Wu thought to himself. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You really think they’d train these people better! It’s almost as if they’ve never prepared for a royal coronation before.” Mako tried to look annoyed, but Wu saw the corner of his mouth twitch upward. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh huh. What a scandal.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>a scandal! How am I supposed to be a good King when my servants are entirely incompetent?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re not even your ser-” Mako shook his head. “Oh, never mind. Come on, now you’re really running late.” Mako stood up, brushing his hands on his pants. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>Wu knew Mako was right. His coronation was hours away, but he didn’t want to leave the decoration to the Republic City natives who obviously</span> <span>lacked the refinement and keen eye for spectacle that the Upper Ring residents of Ba Sing Se had been born with. He also didn’t know if he was ready to be King just yet, but that's </span><em><span>clearly </span></em><span>besides the point.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wu looked nervously back at the courtyard. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But I can’t leave these absolute </span>
  <em>
    <span>simpletons</span>
  </em>
  <span> alone. They’ll ruin everything!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, you can leave them alone, and you will, or Beifong will kill me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But I-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Go inside.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“They-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Now!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wu gave in, he couldn’t really resist at this point. Mako was hot when he was a little angry. Wu beat himself over the head internally for that mental comment. Still, he supposed he could have a little fun.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine. Just, make sure you look presentable. It’s not befitting of the future-but-very-soon-to-be-King-of-the-Earth-Kingdom to have a scraggly manservant”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Bodyguard.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Same difference.” Wu smirked as he walked up the stairs, Mako in tow. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wu quickly got over his incredible wit, and his heart pounded as he climbed the steps — Spirits, there were an awful lot of them — up to City Hall. It was Coronation Day, and now he was experiencing the last few moments before the event he had spent his entire childhood preparing for. The last few moments before he began to assume his role — his destiny. Everything led up to this, much like the spiritdamned stairs.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he climbed up the final one, now directly in front of the grand doors, Wu looked back at Mako, who nodded and gave him a small smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Wu turned to the doors, took a deep breath, and in classic Wu fashion, pushed them open with great flourish. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Inside, there were a couple dozen people lingering about. Wu recognized some of them. Lin Beifong stood in a corner menacingly, daring anyone to cause trouble. Kuvira stood in the middle of the room, taking up as much physical space as possible. Varrick and his assistant — Wu couldn’t remember her name — were conversing conspiratorially in the corner, dressed in Kuvira’s uniform. There were several others in uniform, but Wu didn’t recognize any of them, except for—</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello Republic Citaayyyyy! Bolin is back!” Bolin ran into the room with a toothy smile, but it quickly faded when he spotted the creepy twins from the Northern Water Tribe. Wu had met them when he was dragged along on a diplomatic visit. He hadn’t seen them since they were all kids, but they had certainly retained the creep factor. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And Eska is also here.” Bolin gulped, he actually gulped. Wu didn’t know what went on between those two, but this was too good to pass up, so he positioned himself carefully for prime eavesdropping in front of a mirror in which he proceeded to check himself out at every possible angle. Not only would no one suspect him of paying any attention to anything other than himself, he could actually watch what was going on. Making sure he looked good was just an added bonus. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I see you have replaced me with a new girlfriend.” Eska said in a complete monotone as she gestured towards Kuvira. “Well done, she seems very threatening.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If Wu had been drinking tea, he would have spit it out all over the floor. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Girlfriend? Bolin dated Eska? Thing-One-of-the-Northern-Water-Tribe Eska?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Wu looked around for Mako, for whom he had several questions regarding </span>
  <em>
    <span>Beska</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but he was nowhere to be found. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, no, no, that’s Kuvira. She’s kind of my boss.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Boss. Girlfriend. Same thing.” With one final stony stare into Bolin’s soul, Eska and her brother walked away. The second she turned around, Bolin’s composure collapsed and he wiped the sweat from his forehead. He muttered something under his breath that Wu couldn’t hear. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Bolin!” Wu turned to see Mako run up to his brother. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Where did he come from? And where had he gone earlier? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Bolin threw a fake punch at the bodyguard, which Mako quickly dodged. The two embraced, in a manly way, of course. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Damn that family has good genes.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Look at you! My little brother got all… important.” Mako faltered at the last word, but Bolin didn’t seem to notice. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, right?” Bolin was ecstatic. “I see myself in the mirror sometimes and think I’m in trouble before I realize, it’s only me!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mako looked around to check that no one was listening, missing Wu, obviously, who was very good at eavesdropping. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So… what’s it like working for Kuvira?” He tried to remain jovial, but there was a darker tone in his voice. “From what I’ve heard, she’s pretty harsh.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” Heads turned to look at Bolin and Mako, and Bolin realized he had spoken rather loudly. “I- I mean, she can be tough, sure, but we’re turning around the Earth Kingdom like you wouldn’t believe. You remember how bad Grandma’s neighborhood in Ba Sing Se was? All that’s completely changed. I mean we are really… helping people.” Though he spoke passionately about helping the people of the Earth Kingdom, Bolin quickly changed the subject. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But what have you been up to? Back to fighting crime? Busting triads?” He rested an arm on Mako’s shoulder. “Chasing the ladies, Mako style?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wu and Mako both blushed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, no, I’m still working for Wu.” The pair looked over to Wu, still standing by the mirror, who quickly busied himself combing his hair. He flashed himself a winning smile, finishing it off with his most dazzling move: royal finger guns. “And uh… yeah.” Wu didn’t have to look in the mirror to see Mako’s eyeroll. “ Wu’s okay, you know, but I didn’t take this job to be a glorified babysitter.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wu barely concealed his frown. He thought he deserved a little more praise than a ‘he’s okay.’ He knew the personality he created for himself was annoying, that was the point after all, but he thought that Mako had gotten to know him a little better.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So, uh, have you seen Korra yet?” Bolin asked hopefully.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No. She was supposed to come in with Tonraq, but he said she left the South Pole months ago. No one knows where she is.” Mako looked grave. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Korra, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Wu thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Why does everything always have to be about Korra? </span>
  </em>
  <span>He knew that Mako had been friends with the Avatar, probably close friends. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Too </span>
  </em>
  <span>close, if Wu’s jealous suspicions were right. It was always Korra this, Korra that with Mako. He knew he shouldn’t, but Wu hated Korra, and he secretly hoped she stayed far away from Republic City. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Bolin looked like he wanted to say something, but he was cut off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Prince Wu,” It was Tenzin. Wu reluctantly turned away from the mirror. He could really see Bolin and Mako now, who were both looking at him. Wu’s legs turned to jelly. He really had to get a hold of himself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve finally managed to get the Royal cabinet situated. They weren’t exactly used to the bustle of Republic City. You must meet with them at once. They’re in a hall adjacent to this one.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Mako, ever the loyal glorified babysitter, soon resumed his place at Wu’s side and the two walked to meet with the Cabinet. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Your Royal Cabinet is here, your Majesty!” Inside the hall stood three old men that Wu had never even seen before. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Who are you? Where’s everybody else? Where are the seven sacred chests of exquisite finery? Where are my Grandfather’s taffeta pantaloons?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The eldest of the three, the leader, looked around nervously. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sadly, most of your servants were scattered and the royal things were looted after the Queen was… removed from office. So your coronation may not have some of the usual items… like… the crown.” The old man finished, sheepishly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s no crown? How can you have a coronation without a crown? How will people know when I’m officially the King?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We still have one of the royal jewels we can pin on you.” The advisor took out a box from one of the pockets on his large robes. He opened it, revealing, well, Wu wasn’t exactly sure what it was. He bent down to examine it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“An earring?” Now Mako was intrigued, bending over Wu to get a look at the royal earring. Normally, that would have made Wu’s heart come to a stop, but now he was far too concerned for such matters.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Think of it more as a… royal brooch!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This was bad. This was really really bad. This was the worst thing that could have possibly happened to Wu today, probably in his entire life. His coronation — the day he had been preparing for his entire life, the day that would solidify his status as king, the day when he would get to show his kingdom who he was going to be as a ruler — was ruined. He felt a tear come to his eye. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you telling me that there are no dancing badgermoles? No acrobat bell-ringers? No horn-blowing announcer-y guy?” Now Wu’s face was centimeters from the old man’s. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It will be a very simple, intimate, elegant ceremony. A wonderful day for your kingdom. Just try on the brooch, your grace. You’ll see it will look beaut-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That was the final straw for Wu. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t touch me.” He didn’t know where he was going, just that he had to go somewhere else. He walked aimlessly for several minutes before seeing a door that led outside. It led him to a large balcony, which was good enough for Wu. He slumped down against the wall, putting his head in his hands. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He heard the door click. He didn’t look up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Prince Wu.” It was Mako, of course. He still didn’t look up. “Wu.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” He spat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mako sighed, sitting down next to Wu along the wall. He didn’t say anything for a couple of seconds. He sighed again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s just a coronation, you know.” Wu scoffed. He looked up at Mako, eyes red. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh yeah, it’s just a coronation.” He threw his arms up in the air. “Doesn’t matter at all. It’s not like I’ve been getting ready for this my whole life, not like this sets the tone for my entire rule.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mako still didn’t seem to get it, and Wu instantly regretted yelling at him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, I-” Wu lowered his hands, balling them at his sides. “Coronations are important, especially if the transition between rulers was unstable. They raise morale, unite the country. They solidify tradition and culture. And now, everything’s gone wrong. Kuvira’s being weird, and now I can’t even have a proper coronation to take my place on the throne.” He looked up at the sky. “And that brooch is just… so ugly.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mako laughed, and even in his current state, Wu gave a soft smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, remember what you told me earlier?” As it happened, Wu didn’t. “‘We just have to carry on as normal, show no signs of weakness’?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess I did say that, huh?” Hearing it back, it sounded pretty corny. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah you did, and as much as it pains me to say it, you were right. That’s all we can do right now. Carry on and put our best foot forward, and everything will probably be alright.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, you’re right. It’s just… nothing is working like I thought it would. I know it must seem pretty stupid, but I don’t want this to be… boring. The Earth Kingdom has been in stasis for hundreds of years. I want to bring about change and excitement.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mako smiled, much to Wu’s confusion.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t worry too much about that. Nothing you’re involved in could ever be considered boring.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now it was Wu’s turn to smile. Wu heard the tolling of a distant clock. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh shit! The coronation starts in fifteen minutes. I’m late!” Wu got up and ran inside, Mako trailing not far behind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“You know I’ve been telling you that all day.” Wu made a hard right turn. “The other way, Wu.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ten minutes of wrong turns and expletives later, Wu and Mako finally made their way back to the front of City Hall.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Finally!” Tenzin looked like he was moments away from a heart attack. “Where in the name of the Spirits have you been?” Wu opened his mouth to answer, but he didn’t get the chance. “Oh it doesn’t matter. Just… get ready. Chief Beifong and Mako will stick close to you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why Beifong?” Wu inhaled sharply, eyes darting between Tenzin and Mako.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh relax kid. I’m just added security.” Beifong, emerging from out of nowhere, gave Wu a clap on the shoulder that nearly sent him into next Tuesday. “Don’t worry. Your chance of being assassinated is almost zero.” Tenzin gave her a death glare. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wu felt nauseous. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I have to go take my seat. You just… wait for your cue.” Tenzin walked swiftly outside, his robes billowing behind him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wu lined himself up in front of the door, Beifong and Mako on either side behind him. Besides his newly formed fear of assassination, Wu actually felt relaxed. He was ready, and even though things hadn’t gone exactly to plan, he still deeply resented the lack of dancing badgermoles, he was excited. This was his moment. It was his day. It was the beginning of a new era for him and for the Earth Kingdom.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Soon, Wu heard the tsoungi horns play, and with one final breath, he stepped out into the light. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If any of you got noticed my reference to the love of my life, Alice Cullen, I adore you.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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